Architecture

England has a wide range of architectural styles; but Gothic architecture, which dates back to the 12th century, is one of the country’s first great traditions. It has left an enduring mark on the architectural landscape, with many fine examples like York Minster and Westminster Abbey still standing to this day. Though its popularity declined in the 16th century, interest in the Gothic style picked up in the 18th-century with the Gothic Revival movement. At about the same time, the British developed an interest in Renaissance architects, notably the famous Andrea Palladio. The rediscovery of Renaissance architectural treatises fuelled a passion for the simplicity, purity and symmetry of classical architecture, giving rise to what is today known as the neo-Palladian style. Other English architectural gems include the Tower of London, a masterpiece of 11th-century Norman military architecture; and Tower Bridge, a drawbridge across the Thames built in the late 19th century.

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Buckingham Palace

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Sketched during a trip to attend an exhibition on Shakespeare’s four hundredth anniversary.